The Other Immigrants and Us

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Canada and the U.S. are immigrant countries, but after a while, older immigrants want to close the gate and not allow fresh consumers to come in.

However, there are groups of immigrants that know precisely why they left their countries. The main reason is that they don’t have free time. You won’t see them sitting in coffee shops with laptops all day supposedly working; laughing at how new immigrants dress; ransacking a grocery store; drinking and smoking on podcasts; dancing and swearing online; posting photos with just a dot of clothing; promoting the tiny Italian or French handbag that cost $6000 or promoting how to kill each other.

The other immigrants don’t have free time, because there is no individual in the family. It’s a team with a mission and vision: how to make it in Canada or the U.S. Because of the team, that R6000 buys backpacks, sneakers and warm track suits for six teens living under one roof and attend the same university.

The other immigrants don’t have free time because they own security companies that guard shopping malls, government buildings, hospitals and schools. They started as security guards, but decided to buy the river, not just fish there. They don’t have free time because they’ve ventured into the trucking industry. They move goods we cannot do without. They don’t have time, because they are in politics as members of provincial legislatures and members of parliament in the federal government in Ottawa.

They are now into real estate. That’s why they don’t have time to do what we do. We? Yes, us older immigrants, that have time to waste on activities that belittle us and amuse the rest of the world. ‘Look at them,’ they say.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.

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